Yellow Fever Vaccine - TravelDoc™

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Yellow Fever Vaccine - TravelDoc
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info_at_travel-doc.com
0115 9475498 Nottingham 0114 3583930 Sheffield
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Yellow Fever is a serious viral infection thats
usually spread by a type of daytime biting
mosquito known as the Aedes aegypti. It can be
prevented with a vaccination. Yellow fever
mainly occurs in sub-Saharan Africa (countries to
the south of the Sahara desert), South America
(especially the Amazon) and in parts of the
Caribbean. Yellow fever can be fatal. About 8
of people who get yellow fever die from it.
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Yellow fever vaccination
Luckily, there is a very effective vaccination
for yellow fever. Some countries require proof of
vaccination (a certificate) against yellow fever
before they let you enter the country. Vaccinatio
n is the single most effective way of preventing
yellow fever. In the UK, Stamaril (produced by
Sanofi Pasteur MSD) is the only licensed yellow
fever vaccine. A single dose of the yellow fever
vaccine will protect against yellow fever for
life. It is no longer recommended to have a
booster dose every 10 years (WHO, World Health
Organisation, July 2016). Ideally, you should
have the yellow fever vaccination at least 10
days before your travel. This will allow enough
time for your body to develop protective
antibodies against the yellow fever infection.
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The yellow fever vaccination is recommended
for
Anyone traveling to, or living in, areas or
countries where yellow fever is endemic. Anyone
traveling to a country where an International
Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP)
against yellow fever is required for entry. You
must have a yellow fever vaccination at least 10
days before you travel. This will allow enough
time for your body to develop protective
antibodies against the yellow fever infection.
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Certificate of proof of vaccination
Under regulations set out by the World Health
Organization (WHO), anyone traveling to a country
or area where the Aedes aegypti mosquito is found
must have the vaccine or have an International
Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis
(ICVP). You can find a list of all the countries
that require you to have an ICVP in the WHO
International travel and health guide. You can
also search the country information on NaTHNaC to
find out whether the places you are visiting
require an ICVP. If you have been traveling in
an at-risk area during the past month, it is a
good idea to carry your certificate with you.
This will help avoid potential problems with
immigration. It is possible for travelers without
a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate to
be vaccinated and held in isolation for up to 10
days. An ICVP is not required for entry into the
UK.
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If you lose your certificate, you may be able to
get another one reissued as long as you have
details of the vaccination batch number and the
date you had the vaccination. Always consult
staff at a designated vaccination centre if you
are planning to travel to an area where there is
a risk of getting yellow fever. If you tell them
where you are traveling to, they will be able to
advise you about whether you need to be
vaccinated against yellow fever and whether you
need an ICVP.
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Who should not be vaccinated?
People who should not have the yellow fever
vaccination includeBabies under nine months of
age babies who are six to nine months old
should only be vaccinated if the risk of getting
yellow fever during travel is unavoidable. Pregna
nt women unless the risk of yellow fever is
unavoidable. Breastfeeding women unless the
risk of yellow fever is unavoidable. People
whose immune systems are lowered
(immunosuppressed) such as people with HIV and
those receiving chemotherapy or
radiotherapy. People who are allergic to eggs
the vaccine contains small amounts of egg white
protein, albumin. People who have had a severe
allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to a previous
dose of the yellow fever vaccine.
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People who are allergic to any of the ingredients
in the vaccine (including eggs). People who have
a condition that affects the thymus gland (part
of your immune system that is located in your
upper chest). People who are currently very
unwell (such as with a high fever) this is to
avoid confusing the diagnosis of your current
illness with any side effects from the
vaccine. Yellow fever naïve travellers those
who have not been previously exposed to the
vaccine who are 60 years of age or over should be
individually assessed by the travel doctor or
nurse.
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Exemption letters
In cases where having a yellow fever vaccination
is not advised, your GP may be able to issue you
with an exemption letter. The letter should be
written on headed notepaper and include the
practice details. It may be accepted by some
immigration authorities although this is not
guaranteed. If you are traveling from an area
where there is a risk of yellow fever without a
valid yellow fever certificate, immigration
officials are legally entitled to quarantine you
for a period of at least seven days at the point
of arrival into a country.
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Side effects of the vaccine
After having the yellow fever vaccine, 10-30 of
people will have mild side effects such as
headache, muscle pain, soreness at the injection
site and mild fever. Reactions at the injection
site usually occur one to five days after being
vaccinated, although other side effects may last
for up to two weeks. An allergic reaction to the
vaccine occurs in one case out of every 130,000
doses of the vaccine that are given. Yellow fever
vaccine-associated neurological disease
(YEL-AND) Rarely, the yellow fever vaccine is
associated with a neurological condition known as
yellow fever vaccine-associated neurological
disease (YEL-AND). Neurological means that it
affects the nerves and the nervous system,
including the brain and spinal cord. YEL-AND
occurs in around four cases out of every 1
million doses given. However, for people who are
60 years of age or over and yellow fever vaccine
naïve, the incidence of YEL-AND increases to
around one in every 50,000. This needs to be
balanced against the risk of acquiring the
disease.
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Preventing mosquito bites
As well as getting the yellow fever vaccination
before traveling, you should also take steps to
avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. The mosquitoes
that carry yellow fever bite during daylight
hours. Although it may not always be possible,
you should try to
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Avoid places where mosquitoes live, such as
swamps, forests and jungles Choose
air-conditioned accommodation. Mosquitoes do not
like air-conditioned spaces. Choose
accommodation with mesh screening over the
windows and doors. Wear loose fitting,
long-sleeved tops and trousers, even in the heat
of day. Use insect repellent containing DEET on
exposed skin, such as Jungle Formula. 50 DEET is
sufficient. Burn a mosquito coil or use a plug-in
device that releases insecticide in your
accommodation. Use a mosquito net where
possible, especially in bedrooms that are not
air-conditioned.
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